New York Rangers Still Need To Prove A Lot If They Want To Be Taken Seriously

By Steven Carollo

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Since the New York Rangers are now 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, many believe that they have finally turned the corner and will surge up the Eastern Conference standings. Well, I say not so fast.

The Rangers have still been showing inconsistency through these last 10 games, but have not done so as consistently … if that makes sense. They are still making some lazy decisions with the puck, but just not as frequently as before. However, this 10 game stretch could be taken as baby steps, if not a full turnaround.

The team is still struggling to score goals. They lack toughness and physicality, and often see defensive zone breakdowns leading to odd-man rushes against. The Rangers also see defensive zone turnovers, failure to clear the puck out of the zone, and are still outplayed to start games. Moreover, the goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist is still shaky. All of these flaws have to be corrected soon if the Rangers want to make the playoffs this season.

You can go on and on about the 7-2-1 record in their last 10 games, but when you watch their play during this stretch, you are still left scratching your head at times. Why didn’t he shoot the puck? Why did he try to clear the zone up the middle?How did he not make that save? These are all questions fans ask themselves while watching the Rangers.

Like I said before, I am not saying the Rangers aren’t playing better, but their game needs to keep improving if they want to get to that next level. Everyone is bunched up in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and one losing streak can move a team down more than a few spots.

All I am saying is that the Rangers need to be hungrier and play smarter with each and every game for the rest of the year, and the fans should not think that the team is now out of the woods. The Rangers still have a lot to prove if they want to be taken seriously in the Eastern Conference and throughout the NHL.

Steven Carollo is a New York Rangers and sports writer for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, add him on Facebook, connect with him on LinkedIn and join his Google network.